Photographic developing apparatus.



No. 790,532. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905. G. H. SHAW.

PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. 1905.

UNITED STATES Patented May 23, 1905.

CHARLES H. SHAlV, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,532, dated May 23,1905.

Application filed January 3, 1905. Serial No. 239,353-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. SHAW, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in New York city, borough of Brooklyn, county ofKings, and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improve:

ments in Photographic Developing Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to photographic developing apparatus, andparticularly to portable apparatus adapted for the development ofphotographic films.

An apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention consists in thecombination, with a coilable strip adapted to receive and support a filmto be developed and a support for said strip, of an inclosing cylindertherefor comprised in two coengaging portions, whereby ready access maybe had to the interior for the purpose of insertion and removal of thestrip, support, and film, said cylinder having means permitting theadmission and discharge of developing fluid and the like when thecylinder is closed, while at the same time excluding actinic rays oflight.

My invention also consists in a certain improved form and constructionof the coilable strip whereby the same is formed of a single combinationof parts, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

I Will now proceed to describe an apparatus embodying my invention andwill then point out the novel features in claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in central vertical longitudinalsection through an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a topView of the same with one of the cylinder-casing portions removed. Fig.3 is a view in perspective of the supporting-spool, the coilable strip,and a film supported thereby. Fig. L is a view in side elevation of thespool with the coilable strip uncoiled and disclosing the inner endthereof where connected to the spool and also showing the means forconnecting the inner end of the film to the spool. Fig. 5 is a view inside elevation of the device ready for use, but showing the same aswithout the discharge illustrated in Fig. 1.

My device comprises three main portions an inclosing cylinder or casing,a coilable strip, and a spool upon which the same is supported.

The casing is here shown as a cylinder divided into two portions 1 and2, the same provided with coengaging portions whereby they may beconnected together, as shown, to form an inclosing casing and may beseparated to permit ready access to the interior for the purpose ofremoving and replacing the parts contained therein. The upper portion 2of the cylindrical casing is provided with a funnel-shaped inlet 3,through which liquid may be admitted to the interior of the apparatuswhen the cylinder is closed, and a light-guard 4 is provided to preventactinic rays of light from entering through the said inlet whilepermitting the liquid to flow freely around its edges. The light-guard 4also acts as a support for a centering-stud 5, by which the spool may becentered. A corresponding centering device 6 is also carried by thecylindrical casing portion 1.

In Fig. 1 the cylindrical casing portion is shown as provided with adischarge 17, while in Fig. 5 this discharge is dispensed with, and theinlet 3 may then serve as both inlet and discharge.

The coilable strip 8 comprises an integral strip of flexible materialprovided with integral teeth or projections 9 adjacent its side edges.These teeth 9 are conveniently A- shaped, so as not to obstruct thepassage of fluid when the strip is coiled upon itself. The strip may beof any suitable material, but is preferably a strip of molded rubberfabric. In constructing the strip of a single integral portion I avoidthe trouble incident to creeping where the projections or teeth areformed in a separate piece, and rubber or rubber fabric I have found toeffectually withstand the chemicals employed for developing andfixinganegative. By rubber fabric I mean to be understood as referringto rubber or rubber compound molded with fabric, the fabric employedpreventing distortion.

The spool comprises a core 10, hollow or otherwise, as may be desired,and side flanges 11. The side flanges 11 are open, so as not to obstructfree passage of liquid, and may conveniently comprise spider-arms 12 andrings 13, mounted upon the ends thereof. The end flanges will, soconstructed, guide the side edges of the strip and the film when beingcoiled upon the spool, but will not obstruct the passage of liquid tothe space between, the coils of the strip. The flanges have holes 14 forreceiving the centering devices5 and 6, the same being shown inengagement in Fig. 1. The inner end of the coilable strip is secured tothe core 10, as by clamps 15, (see Fig.4 and a rod 16, arranged betweenand secured to the flanges 11, serves as a means for receiving andretaining the inner end of film to be operated upon.

The apparatus is employed as follows: The two parts of the cylindricalcasingbeing separated and the spool and strip thereon removed, the stripis entirely unwound until the rod 16 is exposed. One end of the film isthen slipped under the rod and bent back upon itself. The film is thenlaid face upward upon the back (or plain side) of the strip 8, and thestrip and film are then together wound or coiled upon the spool, asshown in Fig. 3. When entirely wound, they are placed in position withinthe cylindrical casing, the two portions thereof being then assembledvand coengaged. It will of course be understood that theforegoingmusttakeplace in a dark room, change-bag, or the like and that my device is inno sense a portable dark room, but only a developing apparatus. Thedevice is now ready to receivethe developing solution, which may beintroduced through the inlet 3; If the discharge 17 be employed, thismust first be stoppered to. prevent the liquidflowingout.Thedevelopingliquid will penetrate to every part of the film, the teethor projections 9 holding the convolutions apart, whereby a volutc spacethe lengthv of the film is formed, admission thereto being freely gainedthrough the open spool-flanges and be tween the-teeth or projections 9.After the film has been acted upon by the developing fluid the same maybe drained off through' the discharge 17,.if employed, or out throughthe inlet 3, if no separate discharge be em-,

ployed, and other liquid introduced to fix and wash the film. Whenfixed, the apparatus may be opened and the film removed for furtherwashing, if necessary, and for drying.

I claim- 1. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination witha cylindrical containing vessel having separable coengaging portions,whereby a spool may be inserted into and re-. moved from said casing, ofa spool and a strip coilable thereon for receiving and supporting aphotographic film, said strip having teeth or projections adjacent itsside edges with intervening spaces for the passage of liquid between thecoils, said spool with said strip thereon occupying substantially theentire space inclosed by said casing.

2. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with acylindrical containing vessel having axially-separable coengagingportions, whereby a spool may be inserted into and removed lengthwisefrom said casing, of a spool and a strip coilable thereon for receivingand supporting aphotographic film,

. said strip having teeth or projections adjacent its side edges with,intervening spaces for the passage of liquid between the coils, saidspool with said strip thereon occupying substantially the entire spaceinclosed by said casing.

3. In a photographic developing apparatus,

the combination with a cylindricalv containing vessel having separablecoengaging portions, whereby a spool may be inserted into and removedfrom said casing, one of said portions provided at its end head with anopening for admission of liquid, and a lightguard for preventing theadmission of actinic rays, of a spool andia strip coilablethereon forreceiving and supporting a photographic film, said strip having. teethor projections adjacent its side edges with intervening spaces for thepassage of liquid between the coils, said spool with said strip thereonoccupying substantially the entire space inclosed by said casing.

4:. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with acylindrical containing vessel having separable coengaging portions,whereby a spool may be inserted into and removed from said casing, of aspool and a strip coilable thereonfor receiving and supporting aphotographic film, said strip having teeth or projections adjacent itsside edges with intervening spaces for the passage of liquid betweenthecoils, said spool withsaid strip thereon occupying substantially theentire space inclosed by said casing, said apparatus provided withcentering means for opposite endsof the spool, and adjusted by the actof closing the vessel. 1

5. A coilable strip for photographic developing apparatus of thecharacter described, comprising an integral strip of rubber fabricprovided with A-shaped teeth or projectionsadjacent its side edges.

6. In a photographic developing apparatus,

the combination with a cylindrical containing vessel having separablecoengag'ing portions, spool with said strip thereon, occupying suband aspool having open flanges, of a coilable stantlally the entire spaceinclosed by the cas- I strip therefor having teeth or projections ading,said casing provided with means for inacent its side edges, whereby,When coiled troducing liquld endwise therein.

5 upon the spool, a volute space is formed to CHARLES H. SHAW.

which free access may be had by liquid With- \Vitnesses: in the casing,through the intervening spaces D. HOWARD HAYWOOD,

between the said teeth or projections, said O. F. CARRINGTON.

